Indian chef Vijay Kumar received the 'Talent Of The Year' award from France-based La Liste 2026, joining only six "promising chefs" globally honored with this accolade. Hailing from a small Tamil Nadu village, Kumar leads Semma, a Michelin-starred New York restaurant serving authentic South Indian cuisine with uncompromised bold flavors. Under his leadership, Semma earned its first Michelin star in 2022 and has retained it since. Earlier this year, The New York Times ranked it the No.1 restaurant in New York. Kumar was also named Best Chef in New York State for 2025 by the James Beard Awards, one of America's most prestigious culinary honors, cementing his status among global culinary elite.

As Vladimir Putin’s high-profile state visit to India concludes, New Delhi is actively working to finalise a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, potentially as early as January 2026. The move underscores India’s careful “tightrope” strategy of engaging both Moscow and Kyiv. Officials say the timing depends on factors such as former US President Trump’s peace plan and Ukraine’s internal political situation. (PC: AFP)

Telangana government announced plans to rename the road along US Consulate General in Hyderabad as 'Donald Trump Avenue'. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will notify the Union Ministry of External Affairs and US Embassy about this decision. The move is part of broader plans to name multiple roads after prominent personalities and corporations. A greenfield radial road will honor late industrialist Ratan Tata, while another stretch becomes 'Google Street' near Google's upcoming largest campus outside the US. Microsoft Road and Wipro Junction are also planned. These announcements precede the Telangana Rising Global Summit at Bharat Future City, aimed at showcasing investment opportunities.(PC: Sambad English & AP74M)

A Karachi-based woman, Nikita Nagdev, has made a public plea to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing her husband, Vikram Nagdev, of abandoning her in Pakistan and quietly planning a second marriage in Delhi. Nikita says they married in Karachi in January 2020 under Hindu customs, and Vikram brought her to India soon after. She alleges he later left her at the Attari border under the pretext of visa issues, forcing her return to Pakistan. She filed a complaint in January 2025 after learning about his alleged engagement in Delhi. The Sindhi Panch Mediation Centre, under the MP High Court, reviewed the case and recommended his deportation, citing lack of Indian citizenship for both. (PC: NDTV)

Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin said US–India ties have weakened because of President Donald Trump’s “gross incompetence”. He claimed Trump was influenced by Pakistan’s “flattery” or even “bribery”. Rubin said Americans are shocked to see India moving closer to Russia as a result. He also called the US “hypocritical” for criticising India’s purchase of Russian oil while America also trades with Moscow. Rubin said India needs energy to grow and must protect its own interests. He added that instead of lecturing India, the US should offer cheaper fuel. Rubin made these remarks as President Putin ended his visit to India. (PC: AFP)

At the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit (HTLS) 2025, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar made pointed remarks about Pakistan’s army, saying that many of India’s challenges stem from there. He stated, “like there are good terrorists and bad terrorists, there are good military leaders and not-so-good ones,” in reference to Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir. Jaishankar added that while Pakistan poses a diplomatic challenge, India must not become “over-obsessed” or tie its identity too closely ("hyphenate") with Islamabad. (PC: HT)

Michael Rubin — former U.S. Pentagon official — has argued that Trump merits the Nobel Peace Prize for the recent diplomatic realignment between India and Russia, following the high‑profile visit of Vladimir Putin to New Delhi. Rubin claimed that from Russia’s viewpoint, the visit and the honours extended to Putin were unprecedented, and that Trump’s policies helped shape that outcome. He also criticized U.S. criticism of India’s continuing energy and strategic ties with Russia — calling Washington’s stance “hypocritical.” Rubin’s remarks have stirred debate, as many analysts question whether diplomatic proximity alone should merit a Peace Prize. (PC: X)

At their December 5 summit in New Delhi, Vladimir Putin assured Narendra Modi of “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel from Russia, reinforcing their energy cooperation despite mounting U.S. sanctions. The leaders also unveiled a broad economic cooperation programme through 2030, targeting $100 billion in bilateral trade. Modi emphasized that energy security remains a “strong and important pillar” of their partnership. While Modi reiterated India’s appeal for peace on Ukraine, he avoided directly condemning Moscow. (PC: AFP)

Hyderabad-born model Bhavitha Mandava, 25, created a global splash by opening Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2026 show in New York, marking one of the biggest milestones of her modelling journey. Now pursuing a master’s degree in assistive technology at NYU, Bhavitha was discovered on a New York subway just two weeks before the show. She had earlier walked for Bottega Veneta under creative director Matthieu Blazy. A heartfelt video of her parents’ emotional reaction to her achievement has since gone viral, celebrating her rise from a student to a breakout star on the international fashion runway. 

Diwali is poised to be added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list during the 22nd session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, beginning December 8 in New Delhi. The decision, following the evaluation of India’s nomination, is expected on December 10. India already has 15 cultural elements on the list, including Durga Puja, Garba, Kumbh Mela and Yoga. India will host the committee session for the first time at the historic Red Fort, where over 1,000 delegates from 180+ countries will discuss safeguarding reports, best practices, international assistance, and innovative approaches to preserving living heritage. (PC: PTI)